Nine years ago, Ben Kelly left a Vancouver Whaler's hockey game with the striking blue haired girl who'd sat beside him. Not usually his style but after a night of mind blowing sex, his only regret is he didn't get her number.
Now 28, Ben is recuperating from a serious knee injury. He was the Whaler's top goalie but wonders if he'll ever lace up again. He retreats to his cabin in Cascade to escape the spotlight & figure out his future. It's been 3 months, time to step on the ice & decide if that future includes retirement.
Hailey Erikson already lost one shot at the Olympics. When she was 18, she had a crazy one night stand with some guy she met at a hockey game. After being accepted to training camp for the women's hockey team, she discovered she was pregnant & reality took the place of a dream.
Back in Cascade & working in her father's bar, she recognized Ben while watching a game on TV. She wrote countless letters, trying to contact him but was rebuffed. Fine. She set about raising Zachary on her own, forgetting the jerk who obviously didn't remember her.
Now 27, she's still recovering from losing Zach to a brain tumour. She intends to take one last shot at making the Olympic team & divides her time between the bar & the rink. One day when she's skating with the local high school team, her past catches up with her.
Ben walks into the local rink, unable to resist the lure of the ice, and watches two teams in action. One player in particular catches his eye. They're smaller, faster, better...and a woman. When Hailey takes off her helmet, she looks familiar. Blond, pretty & staring daggers at him. Concussions have left his memory a little spotty & he has to wonder if they've met & what he did to piss her off.
And so begins the story of two people trying to pick up the pieces after losing their dreams. Hailey doesn't need the distraction of seeing Ben again, especially since he ignored her letters. Ben wants to figure out their connection but she won't give him the time of day. But neither can deny the old attraction.
This is an easy read set in a small town where everyone knows everyone's business. Hailey & Ben are obviously meant for each other but there are some hurdles in the way: her Olympic dream, his fear of being hurt again, a protective father & the son he never knew. The physical side of their relationship is as steamy as ever but past misunderstandings & secrets still have to be resolved.
It's better than your average romantic novella & the main reason is the characters. They are both mature people who have known happiness & disappointment & I didn't miss the intense angst and drama that usually comes with younger characters. They feel real, with good points & flaws like the rest of us & you can't help rooting for them as they struggle to deal with serious issues.
It's a well paced story that never feels rushed despite its' short length & provides the reader with a little romantic (and hot!) interlude at the end of a long day in reality. ( )

After reading the first book in the Kelly Brothers series I knew I would need to read the others and the second book, "Breakaway Hearts," did not disappoint. The story pulls you in right away and the chemistry between the two characters is fantastic. This is more than just a romantic story, it also is about not giving up on your dreams and not letting fear get in the way of something you love. I read this while the Sochi Olympics were on and I loved the fact this made the story feel like it was really happening as I was reading. Great book, I highly recommend it! ( )

Nine years ago at age nineteen, Ben Kelly, had a one-night stand with the woman of his dreams. Ever since he regretted not getting her phone number and last name. Now an NHL Goalie, he goes to the ski town of Cascade, BC, to recuperate from a potential career ending knee injury. While there he is reunited with the woman, he let get away.

Hailey Eriksson was left pregnant after a one-night stand. After her son, Zack became terminally ill, she needed to put off her dream at a chance to make the Canadian Women’s Olympian Hockey Team. Before his death, Hailey promised Zack she would make the 2014 Olympic Team in Sochi.

Breakaway Hearts is a fantastic story. It is extremely realistic and well developed. Crista McHugh did a fabulous job making you understand what Hailey and Ben were feeling. There are so many things that happen in the story that the characters face.

I love that fate gave Hailey and Ben a second chance after a number of obstacles and miscommunications got in the way. The characters are both lovable, and you want to see things work out for them.

Around the end of the novel, the discussion about Zack brought tears to my eyes. Being a parent, I cannot imagine the pain from a loss of a child. You sympathize with Hailey for having to endure the loss without Ben. My heart went out to poor Ben to discover he had a child he was never able to meet.

McHugh also does a great job describing the hockey scenes; Hailey helping Ben recoup and Ben helping Hailey make the team.

This was one of those books for me that you just cannot stop thinking about. Breakaway Hearts is a wonderful book that I highly recommend.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )